The crossing will blend with the surroundings and be covered in soil and native plants. “It is about bringing more attention to an ingenious solution so urban wildlife and ecosystems like this one cannot only survive, but thrive.” “We can coexist side by side with all kinds of wild instead of paving it over and choking it off,” said philanthropist Wallis Annenberg at the groundbreaking ceremony. But it also will provide habitat access to coyotes, bobcats, deer, snakes, lizards, toads and even ants. Mountain lion known for crossing 405 killed on the same Los Angeles freewayĬalifornia’s cougars are getting the lion’s share of attention for this crossing, as their enclosure threatens their very existence, the NPS said. The mountain lion, known as P-61 to researchers, was struck and killed on the 405 freeway. “We will look back decades from now and realize that this project galvanized a new era of conserving and reconnecting nature.”īecause pumas demand such a large territory, being relegated to an “urban island” surrounded by busy freeways has led to inbreeding and lack of genetic diversity, according to the NPS, which has been studying cougars in the Los Angeles area for two decades. “This project is truly incredible,” said Wade Crowfoot, California secretary for natural resources. The Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a partnership of the National Wildlife Federation and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and will be built by CalTrans.
Gavin Newsom, who was also there, promised $50 million for other similar projects throughout the state, though they will not be of the same size and scope. Alex Padilla at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony Friday.Ĭalifornia Gov. “We can protect California’s ecosystems without jeopardizing the transportation and other infrastructure development that we need for a growing population,” said US Sen. This cougar is often seen in the Hollywood area. More than 5,000 individual contributions were made, said Steven Keck, acting director of CalTrans, the California Department of Transportation, noting the crossing also will help protect motorists. The $87 million Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is named for the president and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation, a family foundation that supports non-profits. This week, an 18-month-old mountain lion recently separated from its mother and seeking its own terrain was hit and killed on the 405 freeway, Ana Cholo, spokesperson for the National Park Service (NPS) tells CNN.
Mountain lions, which typically wander a territory spanning 150 to 200 miles, will be among the chief beneficiaries of the new overpass, providing a safe passage from the Santa Monica Mountains, across the freeway, and into the Simi Hills of the Santa Susana mountain range. Wild animals in Southern California soon will have more turf to roam thanks to the world’s biggest wildlife crossing, which will span 10 lanes of Highway 101 in northwest Los Angeles to close a crucial gap for habitats.
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